The present invention relates to a system for sensing neural tones and taking steps to prevent or prepare for an impending arrhythmia event.
Presently, conventional arrhythmia conversion devices, including tachyarrhythmia devices, respond to detected arrhythmia events. These devices cannot predict when an event may occur. As such, action is taken by the implantable device only after a life threatening condition occurs. There is no warning of an impending life threatening condition to allow an implantable device to prepare for treating the condition.
An implantable or other device that is capable of determining when a patient has an increased potential for a life threatening arrhythmia event, could react to administer specific therapies to prevent the arrhythmia event, alert the patient or respond to the event more quickly. Specifically, there is evidence that individuals experiencing ventricular arrhythmias also have altered levels of autonomic nervous system activity, elevated sympathetic and/or reduced parasympathetic activity. A device that could monitor autonomic activity, via heart rate variability, respiration rate variability, intracardiac electrogram, or analysis of other physiological parameters, may be able to predict when a patient is at an elevated risk of a ventricular arrhythmia which may present a sudden death situation. The device could then take appropriate preventative measures to prepare for or prevent the arrhythmia event or curative measures to treat the event.